Mold



P. KELLER Nov; 11, 1930.

MOLD

Filed April 17, 1928 v V f am a PARRY KE ER, or new,

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED,jsrATEis P TENT (OF I EI oiiIo, ssmivonf'ro T' HEQGoODYEAR rmna RUBBER COMPANY, or AKRON, OHIO, A' CORPQKATION or OHIO Application flied ri -11,17,

The object of the invention is to provide a single mol'lingdevice, providedwith interchangeable elements which adapt it for molding cush'on tires havingvarious types o oi? base band constructions.

cd upon annular supporting structuresknown as base bands, and thereafter are vulcanized in suitable molding devices. One typeofthe base bandsis provided with integral adapt-f i. ingimembers for adapting the tire to the felloeof a wheel oil-relatively small diameter, while others are not provided with adapting members, but instead are: mounted directly upon the felloe. Hereto fore, the cur+ ing one form of molding device to cure the tire equipped with an adapting member, and another form to cure the tirenot provided with an adaptingmember; Considerable expense, therefore, was involved two moldingdevices for curing tires of equal dimensions, but having different support ng strrictures- I o ,t

This invention obviates the d sadvantages. heretofore ment oned, providing a s ngle molding device for curing solid or cushion tires" equipped e ther Chdes plurality f in e an e as rings, which ar selectivelyemployable in the cmflng ftires having either form of the; i.

uponthelower. moldingplate 11. Ad acent its'outeredgeand on its upper side, this base supporting structures-referredto, For anbettereundcrstand ng of the invention,-refcrence may now be had to the accomspecificatiomin which;

I Fi y li i saplan view ofa molding device I v p o v I flange 30forms' a part of the base' ring 28 and constructed 3 according to the invention;

F -m2. c,, V larger scale,;ofthe molding, device and tire therein, lIlwWl'llCll the supporting structure I v v p tion. 'BetWeen'the-arcuatesurface 29 and the.

' ithe-tire\isoiordinary construction i Figuref is a' cross-sectional view, ona

a a s a e Solid or cushion tires, n tially are mounts ing 01 the tires was accomplished by employin up l with or Without an: adapting member. The molding device 111- panying drawings, forminga part of this is a cross-sectional view, on a of the; molding device and tire 1928. Serial 110,270,676;

the tire is formed with an adapting member V and c V F gure 4 1s a-fragmentary view, taken sub stantially in the Y direction indicated at 'V,IV in Figure 2.

provided having a lower plate 11 and an upperiplate 12. The. loweriplate 11 is formed with" a tire supporting fiangcl3'on its upper surface, intermediately of its inner V and outer In practicing the invention, a mold 10 is edges, While the upper plate 12 has on its lower surface a similarly formed flange l4. Lugs 16 and 17, integral withthe lower and upper plates, respectively, facilitate movementjof the mold from one position to am other Adjacent its inner edge, theup'per plate has an integral annular flange 20, havpl'ate 12of the; mold, as will be referred'to hereinaften, I v v i i The moldingplates, in assembled relation,

receivei'a tire 24 whiclnin the particular construction shown, is of a cushion type,and

is. supported upon a'conventional base band 25,,hav11ig lugs26 (shown n broken lines forsecuringitto the i'elloe of a wheel. A

tire ,treadv-formin plate 27, mounted between the lower and upperplates of themold, abuts the tread portion of thet'ire while the flanges 13'and 14 01 the lower. and upper plates 11 and 12, respectively, support the sidewalls thereoflf c M ,Directl below the flange 20 of the upper plate of the mold, is abuse ring 28, which rests ringis} provided with an arcuate' or concave surface, 29,1;vhich is juxtaposedto the'base bandl'25 o fthetirc for the purpose of reinforcing;thelatter. f Au upwardly extending flang'e 30 a groovef32j is, provided having plane surfaces and 34 flanking itsedges,

which merge intoth e sur'faces 29 and 31',' re- 'ings 38 in the lower Referring now to Figure 2, a basering 40 mounted between the lower and upper plates of themold has oppositely inclined surfaces" 41 and 42, which restagainst the inclined surfaces 21 and 31, respectively. The lower side 43 of this base ring is supported upon the plane surfaces 33 and 34 ofthe base ring 28. A. portion 45 of-the outer peripheral surface of the base ring 40 abutsthe base band 25 of the tire to reinforce the latter, while another portion 46 abuts the flange 14 in theupper plate 12 of the mold. Notches 47 (shown 1n broken lines) provided in the outer portion of the base ring 40, extend to the lower side of the ring, and receive the lugs 26 of the base band 25 of the tire 24. Removal of the base ring 40 is facilitated by inserting and manipulating a tool into a groove 48 in the. base ring.

With the parts in assembled relation, re

movalof the upper plate 12 is accomplished :by operating hoisting apparatus adapted to be attached to the lugs 17, or if necessary by inserting the tool referred to into the slots 22 and utilizing the base ring 40'as a fulcrum; The ring 40 may be removed by inserting the end of the tool into the groove .48, and utilizing the flange 30 as a fulcrum. Usually the tire is displaced along with the removal of the base ring 40, because of the engagement of the ring with thebase band of the tire- If the construction of the tire is such that it is not displaced by the removal of the ring 40, it may be displaced simultaneously with the removal of the ring 28. As previously stated, removal of the last mentioned base ring is fa:

cilitated by a tool inserted into slot38, so that the ring'may be'pried away from the lower plate 11 of the mold. p .1

.According to the COllStlllCtlOll ShOWll by Figure 3, the base band 25 of the tire has an adapting member 49 secured thereto. This adapting member which is of conventional construction, has a flange 50 projecting into the groove 32in the base ring 28, and an an- .gular portion 52 having'an extension 53 dis posed adjacent the edges of the flanges 20 and i 30. Itwill be apparent,-therefore, that when the adapt-ing member is in its operative position, a base ring 450, employed in the construction shown-byFigure 2, cannot be utillzed.

. Instead, a'base ring 55 is provided,having angular lower side 56, WhlCh rests upon'the' 6O angular portion 52 of the adapting member. A portion 57 of this basering abuts the base i band 25 of the tire to zreinforce the latter,

while another portionx58 rests against the fiangel ii of the upper plate of the mold.- The inner periphery '60 of the base ring 55is ingle molding lower plate having an removal of the tire 24 and the base ring 28.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that by employing the construction shown by Figure 2, a cushion tire having an ordinary base band, as indicated at 25, may be cu1. ed, whereas by employing the construction shown by Figure 3, a cushion tire equipped with an adapting member may be cured. Consequently, it is necessary only that a singlemolding devicejbe provided having interchangeable base rings. The changing of the base rings is a' simple operation requiring but little labor. Moreover, in employing a sindevice, less expense is involved in the cost of the molds.

"Although I have illustrated only the preferred forms which the invention may assume and'have described those forms in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventionis not so limited, but/that various minor modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 9

WhatI claim'is:

1. In a molding device for curing cushion tires supported upon base bands, having upper and lower plates, a base ring on the annular groove in its upper side adapted to accommodate a portion ofa felloe adapting member integral withthe base band of a cushion tire, and a second base ring above the first base ring and in contact with the upper plate, the base rings being adapted to reinforce the base band of the cushion tire during curing thereof.

2. Inainolding device for curing cushion tires supported upon base bands, having upper and lower plates, a base ring on the lowerplate having an annular groove in its upper surface, approximately centrally of its inner and outer peripheries, said groove being adapted to accommodatea portion of a felloe adapting member integral with the base band of acushion tire, and a second base ring above the first base ring and in contact With the upper plate, the base rings being adapted to reinforce the base band of the cushion tire during curing thereof.

tires supported upon base bands, ing upper and lower plates,

lower plate-having a concave surface adjacent its outer periphery, adapted to reinforce the base band of a cushion tire during Vulcanizatlon, sald base ringjalso hav ng an annular groove adapted to receivea portion of a felloe adapting member integral with the base band of the tire, a second base ring having its lower surface conforming with the upper surface of the adapting member and adapted to rest thereupon, the outerperiphery of the second base ring being in abutting relation with the base band of the tire to reinforce the same, and a flange integral with the upper plate and adapted to hold the second base ring in its proper position in the mold.-

4; A molding device for curing tiressup- I ported upon base bands, comprising upper and lower plates, a base ring on one. of the plates for accommodating a portion of a felloe adapting member integral with the base band of a tire, and a plurality of other base rings adapted to be employed selectively between the plates and in conjunction with the first mentioned base ring, for curing selectively tires supported on base bands pro vided with adapting members, and tires supported'on base bands free from such adapting members.

5. A molding device for curing tires supported upon base bands, comprising upper and lower plates, a base ring on the lower plate having anannular groove-in its upper surface for accommodating" a portion. of a felloe adapting member integral with the base band of a tire, and a plurality of other base rings adapted to be employed'selectively between plates in conjunction with the first mentioned base ring, for vulcanizing selectively, tires supportedon base bands providedwith adapting members, and tires supported on base bands free from such adapt ing members.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. i

' Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, U. S. A., this 16th day of April, 1928. 1 V A PARRY KELLER; 

